They are among the most popular German brands of all: BMW and Mercedes. With a total of more than 3 million cars sold worldwide each year (BMW 1.8 million / Mercedes 1.3 million), they are not only among Germany's export hits, but also stand for German engineering with the "Made in Germany" seal of quality. But who builds the better cars? Who has the higher safety standards, who is more innovative and who has the greater cult status? ZDFzeit wants to know more and has the noble car brands compete in a duel: BMW versus Mercedes. A duel at the highest level!
The driving behaviour of the luxury class is put to the test, the mid-range is subjected to a practical test and the SUVs of both brands have to compete against each other on tough terrain. Individual tests compare the fuel consumption of the vehicles, the service provided by the authorised workshops and who builds the more valuable vehicles. In addition, Germany's best-known car spanners will be used: the Ludolf brothers. With their very own tools, they put the vehicles through their paces.
The film also takes a look at the history of both brands, from the invention of the automobile by Carl Benz to the development of the latest generation of electric vehicles. Who is more innovative these days, who is better equipped for the future? ZDFzeit finds out.
In the end, there can only be one winner. Who is Germany's No. 1 carmaker?
Mercedes against BMW - The Duel
They are among the most popular German brands of all: BMW and Mercedes. With a total of more than 3 million cars sold worldwide each year (BMW 1.8 million / Mercedes 1.3 million), they are not only among Germany's export hits, but also stand for German engineering with the "Made in Germany" seal of quality. But who builds the better cars? Who has the higher safety standards, who is more innovative and who has the greater cult status? ZDFzeit wants to know more and has the noble car brands compete in a duel: BMW versus Mercedes. A duel at the highest level!
